Wetzel County Commissioners Bob Gorby, Don Mason, and Scott Lemley accept a resolution of support for a local ethane cracker processing plant from Don Shenefiel, chairman of the W.Va. Route 2 and Interstate 68 Authority, third from left.

Don Shenefiel, chairman of the W.Va. Route 2 and Interstate 68 Authority, presented the Wetzel County Commission with a resolution stating the authority’s support of the movement to have an ethane cracker processing plant constructed in the northern panhandle.

It is a plan which was discussed favorably by many commissioners in the region including President Don Mason at a meeting held July 10. “When commissioners come together, we enhance the chances of making something happen in the valley,” Shenefiel said during his appointment on Tuesday. The commission thanked Shenefiel and the authority for the endorsement, noting they, too, hope to help make something positive happen for the area.

The resolution by the authority to the commissioners reads as follows:

Whereas, the W.Va. Route 2 and Interstate 68 Authority is comprised of members from the 10 counties in Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Monongalia, Marion, Tyler, Pleasants, and Wood counties; and,

Whereas, the majority of the Marcellus gas field within West Virginia lies within the geographic area represented by the members of the W.Va. Route 2 and Interstate 68 Authority; and,

Whereas, the commissioners of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, and Tyler counties have joined together to encourage and support the construction of an ethane “cracker” processing plant within this six county area; and,

Whereas, the commissioners of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, and Tyler counties have joined together to “secure maximum investment for this region of West Virginia to the absolute best of their ability”; and,

Whereas, the development of a “cracker” processing plant in northern West Virginia would have a tremendous, positive economic impact on the citizens of the area as well as all levels of government throughout West Virginia; and,

Whereas, the commissioners of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, and Tyler counties have endorsed the upgrading of W.Va. Route 2 and the extension of Interstate 68 into the Ohio Valley to assist and encourage the development of the petro-chemical industry in the above counties.

Now, therefore be it resolved, that the W.Va. Route 2 and Interstate 68 Authority endorses the efforts of the commissioners of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, and Tyler counties toward the development of the petro-chemical industry in our area along with the development of the necessary infrastructure to support this industry; and,

The foregoing resolution was unanimously authorized, a quorum being present, at a regular meeting of the authority, held on July 25 in New Martinsville.

Also during the commission meeting on Tuesday it was learned a trailer has been parked on the 4-H campgrounds for roughly a week without permission or rental from the county. The commission discussed ways to prevent this problem in the future with the addition of rental tags. These tags or papers would be provided upon renting a space at the grounds and be noticeably posted on the camping vehicle to allow groundskeepers to easily scan the grounds for unmarked, illegally-parked vehicles.

The commission plans to meet with appropriate parties this coming Friday to work out the logistics of implementing this new rental procedure.

Lastly, due to a mandated conference with the state auditor’s office in Morgantown, the commissioners will hold their next meeting on Aug. 9 from 1:30-4 p.m.